Northwest Maritime Center breaks cake
Without a real plot of ground to dig in, dignitaries attending Thursday’s groundbreaking for the Northwest Maritime Center in Port Townsend prepare to use toy shovels to dig into a cake representing the project. Included were, from left, maritime center chairman Steve Oliver, State Rep. Kevin Van De Wege, U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks and mountaineer Jim Whittaker of Port Townsend. -- Photo by Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News
By Jeff Chew, Peninsula Daily News
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It was a project that naysayers once said would never leave the dock, but today it is moving full-speed ahead, being constructed on the waterfront at the end of Water Street.
The seaside community celebration drew about 300 Thursday to Pope Marine Park, adjacent to the 2-acre maritime center site where Carlsborg-based Primo Construction already is building the foundation.
The center is expected to be completed in September 2009.
"It seems like we've been working on this for generations, almost," quipped U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Belfair, launching laughter from the crowd.
Dicks was a key federal fundraiser for the project, along with Washington U.S. Sens. Patty Murray, D-Freeland, and Maria Cantwell, D-Mountlake Terrace.
Reps. Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam, and Kevin Van De Wege, D-Sequim, also spoke of the state's role in generating a special appropriation of $2.25 million to match the $1.8 million federal contribution, along with a U.S. Housing and Urban Development loan of $1 million.
Kessler and Van De Wege, along with state Sen. Jim Hargrove, D-Hoquiam, represent the 24th District, which includes Clallam and Jefferson counties and one third of Grays Harbor County.
"Congress has the power of the purse," Dicks told the audience, which included sign-carrying Port Townsend Peace Movement and Code Pink anti-war representatives, and Dicks' Port Townsend opponent for the 6th Congressional District, fellow Democrat Paul Richmond.
Giant cake
Because the center's foundation is already being fabricated on site, Dicks, Kessler Van De Wege, Port Townsend Mayor Michelle Sandoval and Northwest Maritime Center leaders used plastic shovels and hard hats to instead break a giant cake.
The Shifty Sailors singing group from Whidbey Island took the Steilacoom II ferry to Port Townsend and walked down Water Street to the site, singing traditional seafaring tunes all the way.
Before moving to the park celebration, the Shifties entertained maritime center supporters, Dicks, Kessler and Van De Wege aboard the Olympus cabin cruiser, owned by John and Diane VanDerbeek, which was docked at the Maritime Center pier.
Since 1998, 1,513 individuals and organizational contributors have donated to the maritime center.
That includes Puget Sound Energy.
On Thursday, Terry Oxley, PSE director of community services, presented a check for $45,000 to Steve Oliver, Maritime Center board president.
About 50 percent of the contributors are from the Port Townsend area.
The center also has obtained bridge financing of $5 million to complete the project.
The beginning of construction "is getting the kid in us out on the water," said Sandoval, who was master of ceremonies.
Although she admitted to a fear of the water, Sandoval cited her son's life-changing experience, sailing aboard the Alcyon, as an example of what maritime education can do.
Sandoval called the event "a celebration of us" as a community.
Economic anchor
The maritime center is expected to serve as an economic anchor, along with the nearby historic City Hall building, which was restored and expanded with an annex in 2005.
Referring to his support of a year-round rescue tug at Neah Bay — which began its season on Tuesday — Van De Wege, lauded the maritime center project's educational component ability to teach marine environmental protection.
Kessler, the House majority leader, read a greeting from Gov. Chris Gregoire, who called the center "an important milestone" for the community.
Gregoire also praised the center's green design. Kessler added, "That does exemplify this community."
Kessler also said, "This center is truly a model of a public-private partnership."
Internationally famous mountaineer Jim Whittaker, a Port Townsend resident and maritime center honorary capital campaign chairman, said the center to him means "no child left inside."
"Get 'em out into nature," said a smiling, enthusiastic Whittaker, a longtime sailor who was the first American to climb Mount Everest.
Two buildings
The planned 26,600-square-foot complex includes the Maritime Heritage and Resource Building of 15,600 square feet, the Chandler Maritime Education Building of 11,000 square feet and an outdoor public commons. The accessible Northwest Maritime Center pier is already in place.
The Northwest Maritime Center is a nonprofit organization established in 1999 to improve public access to maritime trades, culture and recreation.
In 2005, it merged with the Wooden Boat Foundation, based at Point Hudson.
Maritime center representatives say the complex will be a lively, seven-days-a-week center for maritime education and recreation.
The education building will have four classrooms and a shipwrights' shop.
The building will be topped off with a "pilothouse" three stories above ground level, equipped with radar and other marine equipment and commanding a view across north Puget Sound.
Local and regional maritime enthusiasts, marine trades, local organizations, visitors and thousands of visiting schoolchildren from around the region will use the center, representatives say.
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Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
Last modified: July 03. 2008 9:00PM